Biomaterial Database

Randomized controlled trials involving liver failure. 2008

Toshimi Kaido

Department of Surgery, Otsu Municipal Hospital, Otsu, Shiga 520-0804, Japan. kaido3@hotmail.com

The study was conducted to analyze and summarize evidence from recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating liver failure. A MEDLINE search was performed to identify prospective RCTs in liver failure published after 1996. Eligible RCTs were analyzed based on various items including publication year, geographical area, and study theme. Sixty-two papers were eligible for review. One to 9 RCTs have been performed annually. Geographically, 41 trials were performed in Europe, 11 trials in Asia and 10 trials in North America. Studies concerning hepatic encephalopathy have been most frequent (26 papers). RCTs involving esophageal variceal bleeding (17 papers) and RCTs examining the treatment of acute liver failure, including artificial liver (13 papers), follow in descending order. This study reviewed 62 RCTs investigating liver failure during the last decade. Concerning variceal bleeding, ascites, and nutritional supplementation, therapeutic consensus seems to have been established. In contrast, there has been little significant evidence with regard to artificial liver.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004932	Esophageal and Gastric Varices	Dilated blood vessels in the ESOPHAGUS or GASTRIC FUNDUS that shunt blood from the portal circulation (PORTAL SYSTEM) to the systemic venous circulation. Often they are observed in individuals with portal hypertension (HYPERTENSION, PORTAL).	Esophageal Varices,Gastric Varices,Esophageal Varix,Gastric Varix,Varices, Esophageal,Varices, Gastric,Varix, Esophageal,Varix, Gastric
D006471	Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage	Bleeding in any segment of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT from ESOPHAGUS to RECTUM.	Hematochezia,Hemorrhage, Gastrointestinal,Gastrointestinal Hemorrhages,Hematochezias
D006501	Hepatic Encephalopathy	A syndrome characterized by central nervous system dysfunction in association with LIVER FAILURE, including portal-systemic shunts. Clinical features include lethargy and CONFUSION (frequently progressing to COMA); ASTERIXIS; NYSTAGMUS, PATHOLOGIC; brisk oculovestibular reflexes; decorticate and decerebrate posturing; MUSCLE SPASTICITY; and bilateral extensor plantar reflexes (see REFLEX, BABINSKI). ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY may demonstrate triphasic waves. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1117-20; Plum & Posner, Diagnosis of Stupor and Coma, 3rd ed, p222-5)	Encephalopathy, Hepatic,Portosystemic Encephalopathy,Encephalopathy, Hepatocerebral,Encephalopathy, Portal-Systemic,Encephalopathy, Portosystemic,Fulminant Hepatic Failure with Cerebral Edema,Hepatic Coma,Hepatic Stupor,Hepatocerebral Encephalopathy,Portal-Systemic Encephalopathy,Coma, Hepatic,Comas, Hepatic,Encephalopathies, Hepatic,Encephalopathies, Hepatocerebral,Encephalopathies, Portal-Systemic,Encephalopathies, Portosystemic,Encephalopathy, Portal Systemic,Hepatic Comas,Hepatic Encephalopathies,Hepatic Stupors,Hepatocerebral Encephalopathies,Portal Systemic Encephalopathy,Portal-Systemic Encephalopathies,Portosystemic Encephalopathies,Stupor, Hepatic,Stupors, Hepatic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016032	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table.	Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical
D017093	Liver Failure	Severe inability of the LIVER to perform its normal metabolic functions, as evidenced by severe JAUNDICE and abnormal serum levels of AMMONIA; BILIRUBIN; ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE; ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE; LACTATE DEHYDROGENASES; and albumin/globulin ratio. (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed)	Hepatic Failure
D017114	Liver Failure, Acute	A form of rapid-onset LIVER FAILURE, also known as fulminant hepatic failure, caused by severe liver injury or massive loss of HEPATOCYTES. It is characterized by sudden development of liver dysfunction and JAUNDICE. Acute liver failure may progress to exhibit cerebral dysfunction even HEPATIC COMA depending on the etiology that includes hepatic ISCHEMIA, drug toxicity, malignant infiltration, and viral hepatitis such as post-transfusion HEPATITIS B and HEPATITIS C.	Acute Hepatic Failure,Fulminant Hepatic Failure,Fulminating Hepatic Failure,Hepatic Failure, Fulminant,Liver Failure, Fulminant,Acute Liver Failure,Fulminating Liver Failure,Hepatic Failure, Acute,Failure, Acute Hepatic,Failure, Acute Liver,Fulminant Hepatic Failures,Fulminant Liver Failure,Fulminant Liver Failures,Fulminating Hepatic Failures,Fulminating Liver Failures,Hepatic Failure, Fulminating,Liver Failure, Fulminating
D019164	Liver, Artificial	Devices for simulating the activities of the liver. They often consist of a hybrid between both biological and artificial materials.	Artificial Liver,Bioartificial Liver,Artificial Livers,Bioartificial Livers,Liver, Bioartificial,Livers, Artificial,Livers, Bioartificial
D019317	Evidence-Based Medicine	An approach of practicing medicine with the goal to improve and evaluate patient care. It requires the judicious integration of best research evidence with the patient's values to make decisions about medical care. This method is to help physicians make proper diagnosis, devise best testing plan, choose best treatment and methods of disease prevention, as well as develop guidelines for large groups of patients with the same disease. (from JAMA 296 (9), 2006)	Medicine, Evidence-Based,Evidence Based Medicine,Medicine, Evidence Based